Looks like he only got a $150k raise. On the flip side, the buyout if he chooses to leave is $7.5m (at least initially), which seems pretty steep. I'm guessing he's not sold on his own marketability at this point if he was willing to accept that as the price for 5 more years of security. That price tag seems big enough to knock him out of consideration for the HC spot at anything but the biggest football factories. Or, maybe he's just deluded enough to think UT and ND will come knocking. If so, he's probably a perfect fit where he is now.

"The discipline McElwain has instilled, of focusing on each play regardless of circumstance and score in a game, was on full display in the New Mexico Bowl win, in which the Rams overcame a 22-point second-quarter deficit to win CSU’s first bowl game since 2008. Still trailing 45-30 late in the game, McElwain’s team scored 18 points in the final 2:52 to claim the win. The Rams forced turnovers on defense and special teams and efficiently ran their hurry-up offense with poise to set up the winning field goal, kicked as time expired.

The marks of his leadership and the energy and optimism he has generated around the program have fans more enthusiastic about the team than they have been in more than a decade. Not only has McElwain immersed himself in the Fort Collins community and brought the program back to the fans, he has traveled to all corners of the state of Colorado in both recruiting and through the system of satellite youth football camps he and his staff have conducted the past two summers."

Wow. IMO, he is a pretty good coach. It seems wild to me that he would not set his sights higher, unless he has decided to simply milk CSU so he can be set up for life.

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I would think the standard practice is to take any extension offered. In his situation he would be unlikely to leave Ft. Collins for a different non-P5 gig, so if he does leave the buyout is going to be irrelevant. He would take the long term deal knowing that it increases his buyout if things go south; and can always be aiming higher as he works through the new deal.
Frankly I would be surprised if HCMM didn't do the same deal if offered. Since there is no real impediment to keep coaches from moving up (new team covers the buyout clause), you always take the offered deal. Anyone know of a downside for the individual coach, other than the price tag a prospective new school would have to pay to get them?

I suppose that is true...I think Sparkles is doing a decent job with what he has to work with up there, that is all I am saying. He is substantially better than Fairchild. As a Buff fan, I know what bad coaching looks like.

I suppose that is true...I think Sparkles is doing a decent job with what he has to work with up there, that is all I am saying. He is substantially better than Fairchild. As a Buff fan, I know what bad coaching looks like.

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Agreed, although I think this year will be more telling. He took a senior laden team with halfway decent talent and was able to beat some pretty bad teams and get a once in a lifetime gift in the bowl game.

Now it is more his players, and a huge chunk of the core of last years success is gone. This year will tell me a lot more about what he is capable of.

Anyone know of a downside for the individual coach, other than the price tag a prospective new school would have to pay to get them?

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If you are concerned that your future W/L record will not be as good as your current W/L record, and you want to have the option to go to another mid-major before it gets too bad.
If you think you've found the ceiling for your current school/program, and it's not high enough to get where you want to go.
If you think you may need to make a lateral move to another mid-major before you'll get a shot at the big time.

There are downsides, yes. But the downsides are hard to actually admit to in negotiation (which is why you always have an agent negotiate for you...).

I think McElwain was a pretty good hire for CSU and I think he's making progress. Few guys pull off what Harbough did so quick at Stanford and lots of guys cut their teeth in this way at a mid major before getting a better job.

I like the idea of them being good to put pressure on the admin to make sure little brother never gets past us.

The MWC is such a ridiculously awful football conference that I'm not convinced that this year will show us anything, either. They will very likely start off 1-3. After that, it's a steady diet of Wyoming, Air Force, UNM, UNLV, etc. It's not exactly a murderers row. They'll get into a bowl game, but that's not really saying much.

The MWC is such a ridiculously awful football conference that I'm not convinced that this year will show us anything, either. They will very likely start off 1-3. After that, it's a steady diet of Wyoming, Air Force, UNM, UNLV, etc. It's not exactly a murderers row. They'll get into a bowl game, but that's not really saying much.

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FSU and Miami won mNCs playing a slate of Sisters of the Blind with one or two t25 schools once upon a time. CSU needs to get more aggressive with its scheduling if they get better and the MWC conference should help set up some OOC games mid season by putting som in conf games on earlier.

The MWC is such a ridiculously awful football conference that I'm not convinced that this year will show us anything, either. They will very likely start off 1-3. After that, it's a steady diet of Wyoming, Air Force, UNM, UNLV, etc. It's not exactly a murderers row. They'll get into a bowl game, but that's not really saying much.

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WYO under Bohl and UNM under Davie are at least intriguing. Even UNLV under Hauck is slowly getting better---between Hauck and Bohl are three FCS national championships....just sayin'....

FSU and Miami won mNCs playing a slate of Sisters of the Blind with one or two t25 schools once upon a time. CSU needs to get more aggressive with its scheduling if they get better and the MWC conference should help set up some OOC games mid season by putting som in conf games on earlier.

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I think they are doing that. At least, a little. I think Boise State is CSU's second game of the year. They play at Boston College later. For CSU, it's a tough OOC, but it's one that won't win them any style points. They're probably going to lose 2 of the 4 OOC games, and I wouldn't put it past them to step on their crank against Tulsa, either. They very well could start out 1-4.

OT: but I feel sorry for Hawaii. They play here in September, then come back again to play the goats in November.

I think they are doing that. At least, a little. I think Boise State is CSU's second game of the year. They play at Boston College later. For CSU, it's a tough OOC, but it's one that won't win them any style points. They're probably going to lose 2 of the 4 OOC games, and I wouldn't put it past them to step on their crank against Tulsa, either. They very well could start out 1-4.

OT: but I feel sorry for Hawaii. They play here in September, then come back again to play the goats in November.

The MWC is such a ridiculously awful football conference that I'm not convinced that this year will show us anything, either. They will very likely start off 1-3. After that, it's a steady diet of Wyoming, Air Force, UNM, UNLV, etc. It's not exactly a murderers row. They'll get into a bowl game, but that's not really saying much.

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Yeah, but if they do and we don't, the Denver media will anoint them the top program in Colorado. :sad2:

If you are concerned that your future W/L record will not be as good as your current W/L record, and you want to have the option to go to another mid-major before it gets too bad.
If you think you've found the ceiling for your current school/program, and it's not high enough to get where you want to go.
If you think you may need to make a lateral move to another mid-major before you'll get a shot at the big time.

There are downsides, yes. But the downsides are hard to actually admit to in negotiation (which is why you always have an agent negotiate for you...).

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Thanks - I guess 1 & 2 are where I would take the new deal and have my agent start working the phones. But as you say there are some scenarios like 3 where you would not expect the new school to afford a hefty buyout.

I guess on reflection I would add 4, you are happy in the current digs, but would like to see if testing the market at the end of an existing contract can force your current employer to match a potential suitor's bid. The tradeoff being that if you like the place where you are you may be trading happiness for a '$'.

As others have said, that's not true (even more so if you include his 2012 results). Other than FCS schools, the team with the best record that Sparkles has beaten was Wazzu in the bowl game, and let's be real that was a fluke due to dip**** coaching on the other sideline and they haven't really come close to beating the top teams like Utah St , Boise, and Fresno. He may be a good coach , but the jury is still out and I don't see a BCS school taking a chance on him until he proves he can beat the best in the MWC.